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Alcohol and the Bible

by David J. Hanson, Ph.D.

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus drank wine (Matthew 15:11;
Luke 7:33-35) and approved of its moderate consumption (Matthew
15:11). On the other hand, he was critical of drunkenness (Luke
21:34, 12:42; Matthew 24:45-51).

The later writings of St. Paul (d. 64?) deal with alcohol in detail
and are important to traditional Christian doctrine on the subject.
He considered wine to be a creation of God and therefore inherently
good (1 Timothy 4:4), recommended its use for medicinal purposes
(1 Timothy 5:23), condemned drunkenness (1 Corinthians 3:16-17,
5:11, 6:10; Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 13:3) and recommended abstinence
for those who could not control their drinking. 1

However, late in the second century, several heretical Christian
sects rejected alcohol and called for abstinence. By the late fourth
and early fifth centuries, the Church responded by asserting that
wine was an inherently good gift of God to be used and enjoyed.
While individuals may choose not to drink, to despise wine was heresy.
The Church advocated its moderate use but rejected excessive or
abusive use as a sin. Those individuals who could not drink in moderation
were urged to abstain. 2

Royce has observed that "there seems to be neither historical
nor theological basis for the total abstinence movement, since...the
Jews, Christ, and the founders of the major Protestant denominations
all drank. Although drunkenness is condemned in both the Old and
New Testaments, there is no condemnation of drinking in either."
3

However, some Christians today argue that whenever "wine"
was used by Jesus or praised as a gift of God, it was really grape
juice; only when it caused drunkenness was it wine. Thus, they interpret
the Bible as asserting that grape juice is good and that drinking
it is acceptable to God but that alcohol is bad and that drinking
it is religiously unacceptable.

This reasoning appears to be incorrect for at least two reasons.
First, neither the Hebrew nor Biblical Greek words for wine can
be translated or interpreted as referring to grape juice. 4
The same Hebrew and Greek word is used for the wine that Jesus drank
and the wine that made Noah drunk. 5
Second, grape juice would very quickly ferment into wine in the
warm climate of the Mediterranean region without refrigeration or
modern methods of preservation.

Did you know?

During Prohibition
in the U.S., temperance activists paid a scholar to
rewrite the Bible omitting all references to alcohol
beverages!

The development of the "two-wine" doctrine occurred in
the 19th century. Before that time, the moderate consumption of
alcohol was widely accepted as natural and normal by Christian teachings.
However, as the temperance movement spread, some Christian churches
began to preach that the consumption of alcohol was not only undesirable
but was actually sinful.... and that the substance of alcohol itself
was evil. This was a rejection of the earlier Christian view that
alcohol was the "good gift of God" and its replacement
by the view that alcohol was "Demon Rum."

Obviously this new assertion that alcohol was evil and that consuming
it was sinful faced a major problem: Jesus, himself, had used wine
and had approved of its moderate consumption. Thus, the "two-wine"
doctrine was formulated to deal with these otherwise inconsistent
facts.

This page is informational only and does
not attempt to influence any religious faith or practice.